1. Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus, method and/or system for protecting a front exterior and/or a back exterior of a mobile communication device.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic devices such as cellular phones, portable tablet computers and the like are gaining widespread popularity. It should not come as a surprise that consumers desire to protect their electronic devices from dents, scratches or other damage. Accordingly, manufacturers have produced different cases, protective films and the like to help the consumer keep their electronic devices safe.
However, not all devices lend themselves to the same type of protection. For example, a “candy bar” type mobile communication device does not transform or slide open to alternative operational orientations. In contrast, “slider” type mobile communication devices, which slide open, pop open, and/or otherwise reveal a keypad in a second orientation, require a case to be functional in both an “open” configuration and a “closed” configuration. Due to their multiple operational configurations, these “slider” type mobile communication devices are more difficult to protect effectively.
Indeed, because a user may repeatedly open and close “slider” type mobile communication devices, these cases typically have two parts, including a top part for protecting the screen and/or the edges of the phone near the screen, and a bottom part for protecting the rear surface of the device. As currently practiced, each of the parts attaches separately to the device, typically with a latching member or by providing a very tight fit, such that the device “snaps” into the case. However, a “latching” case might not be desirable because the latching mechanism required to hold the protective case to the handset can cause damage to the keyboard during use (e.g., scraping across the keyboard resulting in removal of pad printing on the keyboard keys) and hampers the sliding action of the handset through added friction applied by the latches. The latches are also unreliable and may be susceptible to breaking or malfunction due to the thin-walled material required to maintain a hold to the handset. Additionally, protective cases that use latches or other mechanical features to maintain a hold to the handset are less forgiving to build tolerances of the handset (as they require exact build specifications of the handset in order to work appropriately) and may result in an unreliable fit. Certain users may find this rather annoying, while others may feel that such a protective device is “cheap” when compared to other cases that do not contact and/or rub against each other. This particular problem is only magnified as mobile communication devices, including “slider” type devices become sleeker and/or designed to have a thinner profile.
The cases that utilize a tight-fitting silhouette to hold the mobile communication device to the respective top and bottom parts of the case suffer from the drawback that the tight fit may prevent the case from being easily removed when, for example, a user desires to access the battery. Worse, a case of this type may actually cause damage to the device (e.g., scratches, dents) when the user attempts to install and/or remove the case.
What is needed is a protective case for a mobile communication device that solves one or more of the above-described problems.